Donald Trump has said it is “ridiculous” for the US to continue its “one sided” relationship with Nato, less than a week before a summit of the military alliance in Ankara.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that “They were not there for us!!!” and Washington’s relationship with Nato “is not reciprocal”.
The US president has repeatedly lashed out at European allies over their response to the war in Iran, as several countries restricted the use of bases for American forces.
Trump also insists he wants Europe to take the lead role for its own defence, and Washington has already moved to scale back commitments.
His Truth Social post on Thursday included a chart displaying the amount of Nato spending, with the US investing vastly more than a few other member states depicted, including the UK and France.
Under pressure from Trump, Nato leaders had agreed at a gathering last year to boost defence-related spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
The US secretary of state has said Trump is disappointed that Nato allies refused to become more actively involved in attacking Iran.
Marco Rubio, meeting with the alliance’s foreign ministers in May, emphasised that he expected the rift would be discussed at the July meeting in the Turkish capital, making the summit “one of the more important” in Nato’s 77-year history.
“The president’s views – frankly, disappointment – at some of our Nato allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East, they are well documented,” Rubio said. “That will have to be addressed.”
The coming Nato summit, which will bring together 32 member states, will be held in Ankara on 7 and 8 July.
The alliance, founded in 1949, became a US-led defence force credited with maintaining stability in Europe, keeping the Soviet Union at bay and solidifying Washington as a world power for decades to come.
With Agence France-Presse
